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January 29, 2025
Sundance Review: ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ is a Captivating, Harrowing Cautionary Tale
January 29, 2025Musicians sometimes have to take gigs that don’t seem all that glamorous or are in remote locations because they need the work and money. Arriving somewhere with the wrong expectations can set a sour tone for a performance, but artists still need to be professional. The Ballad of Wallis Island finds one disgruntled musician in such a scenario, hired for something altogether different than he thought and not too keen on adapting to the reality of the situation.
Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) arrives on Wallis Island, not pleased to learn that there’s no port for the small boat that ferries him there to dock at and that his “hotel” is merely the home of the man who hired him, Charles (Tim Key). He’s unable to find rice at the tiny local market run by Amanda (Sian Clifford) to repair his phone after his arriving fall into the water, and he soon discovers that the audience of fewer than one hundred promised by Charles is actually just one: the superfan and lottery winner who brought him there. Worse still, he’s also arranged for Herb’s former music partner, Nell (Carey Mulligan), who he hasn’t seen in almost a decade after a less than positive parting, to come along with her new husband Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen) in tow.
This feature film is actually based on a short of the same name, also directed by James Griffith and co-written by Key and Basden, from way back in 2007. Having the stars write the script is a wondrous success since they’re perfectly attuned to the lines they have to say and their characters’ radically different demeanors. Charles fills every waking moment with puns and unnecessary commentary, while Herb seems unpleasant and generally grumpy even before his phone stops working and he realizes what he’s actually walked into and how it’s going to take him back to past memories he doesn’t want to revisit. There’s almost no way that they can get along, but that’s part of the fun since Charles is so into Herb and the dynamic gets an enticing remix when Nell shows up and reciprocates the energy coming from both men, which benefits the kindly Charles and only serves to further aggravate the miserable Herb.
Key absolutely makes this film. Every word that comes out of Charles’ mouth is pure comedy gold, and the way in which Key delivers it makes it exponentially funnier. It would be entertaining enough just to watch him try to fill this film’s 99 minutes talking to a wall, but it’s greatly enhanced by the gruff reactions that Basden offers from Herb in response. Something as simple as talking nonstop about the beautiful sunset when Herb just wants to watch it in silence highlights the disparity in how they want to interact with other people and the universe. Mulligan gives Nell plenty of personality that falls somewhere in between Charles and Herb and blends nostalgia and a willing acceptance of reality. Ndifornyen and Clifford contribute endearing supporting turns that help to shape the main characters’ arcs.
And then there’s the music, the cherry on top for a comedy full of nonstop laughs. Charles listens to recordings of Mortimer McGwyer frequently throughout the film, and audiences are treated to multiple live performances as Nell and Herb try to reignite the magic they concocted together so many years earlier. They’re simple but sentimental and quite good, keeping things serious even as Herb references his solo hits whose titles sound less than inspired. This film is a genuine crowd pleaser, and its brief dramatic flourishes make its winning comedy all the more tremendous.
Movie Rating: 9/10